Territory



' (No Model.)

P. MERTSHE IMER.

AUTOMATIC STOP BLOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

- No. 366,594. Patented July 12,1887.

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NITED STATES PATENT Orrics.

FREDERICK MERTSHEIMER, OF EVANSTON, \VYOMING TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR OFONEIIALF 'IO GEORGE IV. DICKINSON, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC STOP-BLOCK FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,594, dated July 12,1887.

Application filed Novemhcrl), 1886. Serial No. 219,395). (No model.)

To all 207mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I\IF.RTS- HEIMER, of Evanston, in thecounty of Uinta and Territory of Wyoming, haveinvented an 5 Improvementin Automatic Stop-Blocks for Locomotives, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to an automatic stop device to prevent the advanceof locomotives in the event of their being started by the accidentalopening of the throttle by leakage or otherwise, and is designed moreparticularly for use in connection with turntables to pre vent theengines from running into the open pit when the table is out ofposition; but the device is also applicable wherever it is necessary tocheck the gradual advance of the engine.

Theinvention consists, essential] in a mov- 20 able block or stop of thepeculiar construction hereinafter described,adapted to project above therails to encounter and arrest the advance of the locomotive-wheels, andto be moved out of the path of the wheels in order to permit 2 theadvance of the locomotive.

My invention is susceptible of modification in various minor details,which will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic after read ing thefollowing specification; butI prefer to employ the particular form ofdevice reprc sented in the drawings, consisting 'of dogs hinged orpivoted to turn upward on top of a rail or downward into a recesstherein, and

combined with a connecting-shaft and a handlever, which latter servesthe twofold purpose ofa weight to hold the dogs normally in an elevatedposition and to effect their depression at the will of the attendant.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of mydevice in its operative position. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device,looking endwise against the rails. Fig. 3 is a top plan view.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent the ordinary raiIway-rails,eachprovided with a notch or recess, a, in its upper side.

B represents a rock-shaft extending at its ends transversely through thetwo rails, and turning freely therein.

0 0 represent two dogs secured firmly to the rock-shaftadjacent to therespective rails, each dog having its upper end formed, as shown, with alateral arm, I).

1) represents a hand-lever secured rigidly to one end of the rock-shaft.This lever is made of such weight and applied in such position that whenreleased it will drop to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, andby turning. the shaft lift the blocks to the position shown in theseveral figures, with their arms I) bearing on top of the rails inposition to arrest the wheels of the advancing locomotive. \Vhcn thelever islifted, it serves to depress the arms or blocks to the positionrepresented in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus leaving the track clear anduninterrupted, so that the wheels may pass to and fro thercover in theusual manner.

In using the apparatus in connection with a turn-table and a roundhouseinto which the engines pass from the table, I place the stop blocks orarms on that side of the notch nearest the turn-table, so that as thewheels pass from the table they will encounter the beveled side of thearms 0 and automatically depress them, passing over them to the house.After the wheels have passed, the parts will automatically assume theirnormal positions, and thus prevent the engine from advancing again tothe table until the stop device has been operated by hand. Of course asingle stopbloclc'may be used instead of two blocks, as shown in thedrawings; but it is preferred for various reasons to use both.

The essential feature of my invention consists in the use of a stopdevice which arises automatically to arrest the retrograde motion of awheel which has passed thereover, and it is manifest that they may bemodified in form, in position, and in their direction of movement in anydesired respect, provided they retain a mode of action substantiallysuch as herein set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combinationwith the rail recessed in its upper face, the pivotedvertically-swinging stop 0, having the laterally-projecting arm I),adapted to turn into the recess below the surface of the rail, or tobear upon and receive support from the rail, as occasion may require.

2; In combination with the notched rails A A, the transverse rock-shaftB, the stop blocks or arms 0, secured to said shaft, and provided withthe lateral projections b to overlie the rails, and the hand-lever D,applied as shown, and serving as a weight to hold the stops normally intheir elevated position.

3. In combination with a rail notched or recesscd in its upper face,a'stop-block, O, having a lateral arm at its upper extremity, aroek-shaft on which said arm is mounted, and a hand-lever applied tosaid rock-shaft in the manner described and shown, whereby it is causedto hold the block normally in an elevated position to stop Wheelsadvancing in r 5 Wheels advancing from the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 1st day of October,1886, in the presence 20 a of two attesting witnesses.

FREDERICK MERTSHEIMER.

iVitnesses:

A. E. KINGSBURY, J. F. SAUXAY, Jr,

